Well, here we go again. Just when you think you’ve seen the depths of unaccountable global power, another story comes along to remind you that some things never change. This time, it’s FIFA, the self-appointed overlords of international soccer, and their president, Gianni Infantino, who just received a ringing endorsement from his cronies despite a “failed plan” and an “apology for errors.” An apology, mind you, that sounds less like genuine contrition and more like the perfunctory clearing of a throat before getting back to business as usual.
The details, as they often are with these globalist organizations, are a bit hazy. Infantino had some grand scheme to sell stakes in the World Cup – a move that, let’s be honest, probably had more to do with moving money around a few favored accounts than it did with improving the beautiful game for the average fan. It failed. Spectacularly enough to warrant a “crisis meeting” in Morocco, which, for those of us who follow these things, is code for a closed-door session where the powerful decide how to insulate themselves from any actual consequences.
And what was the outcome of this high-stakes pow-wow? Did Infantino face a reckoning? Was he held accountable for his misjudgment? Of course not. Instead, according to the wire, senior staff “reaffirmed their full support” for his presidency. Reaffirmed. It’s a word that screams "pre-scripted outcome" louder than a vuvuzela at a World Cup final. This isn't democracy; it's a coronation behind closed doors, a classic maneuver by those who believe they are above the fray.
This whole episode is a microcosm of what’s gone wrong with so many of our international bodies. They start with noble intentions, perhaps, but over time, they morph into self-perpetuating machines, run by a select few who become utterly detached from the people they are supposed to serve. The World Cup, in theory, belongs to the world. It’s a celebration of sport and national pride. But in practice, it’s a cash cow, and FIFA, under Infantino's stewardship, seems intent on milking it for all it's worth, with little regard for transparency or genuine accountability.
It’s the same old tune we hear from the Davos crowd, the bureaucrats in Brussels, and the various alphabet soup agencies that dictate policies from afar. They make decisions, often poorly, issue vague apologies when caught, and then consolidate their power with internal votes of confidence. There’s no real democratic check, no meaningful pushback from the outside. The system is designed to protect itself, and Infantino’s survival is just the latest proof point.
When I talk to folks back home, they don't understand how these things work. They expect consequences for failure. If a small business owner makes a bad call, they feel it directly. But these international potentates? They operate in a different stratosphere, where "errors" are simply bumps on the road to continued self-enrichment and institutional perpetuation.
Burke understood this inherent danger in unchecked power, warning against the abstract schemes of those who believed they knew better than the accumulated wisdom of tradition and common sense. Infantino’s "failed plan" sounds like just such an abstract scheme, dreamt up in an echo chamber and executed with arrogant disregard for its implications. And the outcome? A predictable circling of the wagons.
So, FIFA marches on, Infantino at its helm, seemingly immune to the kind of accountability most people expect. It’s a stark reminder that while we celebrate the global game, the global institutions governing it remain stubbornly, infuriatingly insulated from the real world. And until that changes, expect more "crisis meetings" that end with more "reaffirmations" of support for the very people who created the crisis in the first place. Some things, it seems, are too big to fail – at least in their own eyes.